Seanad report: There was a reign of terror at the Marina Institute of Education, Senator Joe O'Toole (Ind) claimed yesterday.
Calling for a debate on the "Marino business", he said a report had been published which rubbished the college staff and anybody who had tried to sort out the difficulties. It also rubbished the Department of Education, just as it went along. "So, everybody's wrong now, except the trustees of the college."
The consultants who had produced the report had apparently been directed not to talk to the person with the main grievance "who was the main source of evidence" or to other people who had resigned for the same reason. They had found no evidence because they had not spoken to the people who had made the complaints. "There now is a reign of terror up there."
Ann Ormonde (FF) said there was an authoritarian aspect to the report. It seemed that everybody was out of step, bar one particular group. Pressing for a full debate on the Marino issue, she asked why were so many lecturers and staff resigning from their positions. "They don't resign that easily. They have reasons to resign and that must be brought out into the open. I don't care what the trustees say."
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David Norris (Ind) was accused of insulting the Irish people with his description of the national anthem as "revoltingly bloodthirsty."
Mr Norris had joined with Labhras Ó Murchú (FF) in suggesting that the State purchase the original copy of Amhrán na bhFiann as it was a very historical document. However, he also thought that a good way to celebrate 1916 would be to put the existing anthem to one side and commission someone like Seamus Heaney to write something that would be less revoltingly bloodthirsty and would be more appropriate for the 21st century. "